After the culture and history of Shanghai, we were treated to a few days of shopping, eating and galavanting in Hong Kong. Truthfully, I did not know what to expect from HK as the last time I was here, I was about 12 and I was with my folks.

We were given two days to wander around this city of lights, sounds and cars driving in the wrong side of the road (or so my Brit buddies disagree) and while some went to Disneyland and that huge Buddha place, and others went shopping in the stores not found in the Philippines (HMV, H&M etc.), I decided to indulge in two of my favorite past times: exploring a city alone AND toy window shopping.

Hong Kong opened my eyes to a whole different level of toy window shopping. The toy scene is absolutely CRAZY. (Think a whole building dedicated to small stores specializing in specific toy sets: LEGO, Transformers, GI JOE, Marvel, DC, Anime etc.) This was ten times the awesomeness of Shoppesville and Virra Mall combined!

Thanks to the ultra-reliable and organized HK Metro (in the future I hope that our MRT will be just as efficient and actually get you somewhere.. aside from just stops along EDSA), I was exploring the city in no time.

Here is my list of the top five toy stores in Hong Kong in no particular order:1. In’s PointHow to get there: Yau Ma Tei Exit D, beside HSBCToys Available: A good mix of Marvel, DC, Lego, Transformers, GI Joe, Anime

If you only have enough time to hit one spot, In’s Point should definitely be at the top of the list. THE place to buy Marvel Universe and Marvel Legends action figures with three floors of shops featuring a great mix of American and Japanese toys. Think Shoppesville Toy Center… but on steroids, whey protein AND nitro-tech hardcore. Definitely my favorite place as I made the bulk of my purchases here. Shops generally open at 4pm and close at 8pm.

Thanks to my company, Pernod Ricard, I was able to spend a couple of days in Shanghai last August for some R&R. As was the case in Jerusalem, I got giddy over the fact that I could explore another great city, full of rich history and booming with (Yes, that’s 23 MILLION) people.

Though I had been to Shanghai a couple of years ago with my folks, I knew I wasn’t seeing the total picture as guided tours rarely give you the satisfaction of just “hanging out”, getting lost in the place and getting a true taste of the people and culture.

The adventure starts when the taxi driver drops me and my three buddies from work at some “shopping area” (think Greenhills) for foreigners. Originally, we had asked to be dropped off at Nanjing Road (the central commercial center, think Times Square) but he dropped us off around 6km from our intended destination. ** I think it’s safe to say that among Asian countries, it’s only truly the Philippines where you can talk to ANYONE in English and they will understand you. If in Shanghai, China’s commercial and business capital, the language barrier is THAT prevalent, how much more for the other cities and country side. Arriving in the mall, I make a mental note to relearn Mandarin sometime in the future. (Hey, it’s the language of the future!) **

With that out of the way, I lasted around 30 minutes in the mall before I bid my three buddies adieu as I started my solo walk towards the REAL Nanjing Road after getting some directions from the local HSBC branch. (Hey, being an account holder of HSBC has its cool perks!)

Shanghai is just beautiful! When people say that it’s a mix of East and West, they mean literally, as they have buildings here that resemble those found in London, Paris and Barcelona while having Chinese characters plastered all over them. On my walk to Nanjing Road, I saw some amazing sights.

The Writer

In 2011, a 26 year old millennial based in Manila, Philippines had a paradigm shift on his views on life, love, and faith. He then decided to set things right by embarking on a journey; one that would take him along the ancient streets of Jerusalem, the magical islands of Greece, the catacombs of Paris, and the heart of the Red Square in Moscow, among other cool and interesting locales. Follow Dane on his continuing six year long trek around the world!